Duke Caiguo...Tang Shishi was surprised and couldn't help but glance at the woman. This turned out to be Zhou Shunhua's grandmother, the old furen of Duke Caiguo's mansion.
When Zhou Shunhua asked to accompany Zhao Zixun, she used her grandmother's illness as the reason why. Unexpectedly, by such a coincidence, Tang Shishi happened to meet her in the palace.
Tang Shishi smiled and asked her to get up: "Get up, please. I'm about the same age as your granddaughter. How can I be worthy of your salute?"
Old Zhou Furen stood upright and said: "I am am merely a madame. I naturally have to salute the princess. What does it have to do with age? I heard that my second granddaughter was in Prince Jing's Mansion. These years, she has received advice from the Princess."
Tang Shishi smiled, and looked at Zhou Shunhua, "Side Consort Zhou, aren't you thinking about helping your grandmother, she is already here, what are you still waiting for?"
Zhou Shunhua stood in front of everyone's eyes, her family in front of her, the expressionless servants, and Tang Shishi who was smiling but not smiling. Zhou Shunhua never thought that seeing her family was such an uncomfortable thing. She bowed her head and endured embarrassment to salute everyone: "I greet grandmother, mother, and aunt."
Old Zhou Furen's eyes moved slightly when she saw Zhou Shunhua, and finally she sighed: "Since you have entered the mansion, make sure to serve your husband and mother-in-law in the future. Princess Jing, my granddaughter is stubborn. Please tolerate her behavior in this old lady's stead.
Tang Shishi nodded with a smile. Her eyes looked at Old Zhou Furen and Zhou Shunhua, and said empathetically: "It's rare that the Side Consort meets her family. Side Consort Zhou, you don't need to follow me. Talk to your grandmother and sisters more. You should fulfill your filial piety."
Old Zhou Furen's rejection came forward, but Tang Shishi's attitude was very resolute. Zhou Shunhua is different from Tang Shishi. Tang Shishi can take her mother and family into the mansion at will, but Zhou Shunhua as a concubine cannot.
After the reunion of Zhou Shunhua and her relatives, based on the principle of fairness, she told Ren Yujun to go and find her relatives as well. Tang Shishi shook off both tails, and she was really relieved. She had nothing to do, and didn't want to go to the palaces and listen to the nonsense of people, so she walked slowly in the imperial garden.
When she passed a rockery, she vaguely heard a voice behind her. Tang Shishi stopped and looked and saw a person with a red back.
Only one person?
Tang Shishi is not unfamiliar with the clothing system. To be able to wear such a dark red color in the palace, except for the Empress, no one else can. Tang Shishi walked slowly into the pavilion, and asked, "Empress?
The person inside responded, and Tang Shishi saw that it was really Yao Pei'er, and she hurriedly saluted: "This Princess greets the Empress. Your Highness, why are you here alone? Where are your servants?"
"They are too noisy, I want to be quiet for a while, so i sent them away." Yao Pei'er stared at Tang Shishi for a long time, and suddenly said, "I remember you. You were the beautiful girl i met in the second year of Shentai, weren't you?"
"It is this Princess." Tang Shishi didn't expect Yao Pei'er to remember her, and her heart was quite complicated.
"I haven't seen many people in all these years, how can I forget you?l Yao Pei'er sat leaned on the railing, slightly startled, "It's been six years. No, it will be seven years soon."
Today is the last day of the sixth year of Shentai. After today, she has been in the palace for seven years.
After a few years, Yao Pei'er's mental state has gotten worse. Tang Shishi sighed slightly. When Yao Pei'er first entered the palace, she was only thirteen years old, young and lively, and blessed by nature. Whoever does not envy the Empress's fate? But as time passed, Tang Shishi and others gradually moved on, but Yao Pei'er fell silent year after year. This huge palace is like a beast that sucks human essence and blood, slowly draining Yao Pei'er's youth and emotions.
When Tang Shishi left the palace, Yao Pei'er was depressed, and she rarely smiled.
Yao Pei'er looked at the plants, as if she couldn't feel the cold, and asked: "I remember you went to the fief of Prince Jing, why did you go back to the palace again?"
Tang Shishi said: "This princess went her because of the Empress Dowager's edict, and returned the capital to serve the Empress Dowager with Prince Jing. Today, on New Year's Eve, this princess entered the palace for the banquet."
Yao Pei'er asked tentatively: "What are you and Prince Jing?"
"This Princess is the wife of Prince
Jing." Tang Shishi replied, "This Princess was married to Prince Jing last year, and it has been a year now."
Yao Pei'er finally remembered and murmured: "So it was you..."
Tang Shishi left the palace almost three years ago. Yao Pei'er recognized Tang Shishi's face, knew Tang Shishi's name, and heard that Prince Jing married a wife.
Yao Pei'er leaned against the railing and stared at her shadow on the ground: "It turns out that you weren't going back, and you have actually been been released. It's great."
Tang Shishi coughed lightly and reminded: "Empress, you are the mother of the country. You are rich and prosperous. Every woman in the world envies you. What is there to envy in the life of a Princess?"
The mother of a country, rich and prosperous? Yao Pei'er smiled very faintly, and her voice was soft, like a puff of smoke, that disappeared in the wind: "I am rich, but I have never seen what the world is like. I'm just sitting waiting just like a pair of clothes. That's it."
Tang Shishi only heard the wind and didn't hear what Yao Pei'er said. Yao Pei'er was quiet for a while and asked, "I remember Prince Jing lives in the northwest. What does the northwest look like?"
This thing is hard to describe. Tang Shishi thought for a while and said, "Xiping Ciry is a little bit colder than Jinling, and the wind is more fierce. There is no rain in winter, but only snow. At most, the snow can be more than three inches. The snow does not melt in winter, and it only melts in the spring of the following year."
"Three inches of snow..." Yao Pei'er's eyes widened, and muttered to herself, "I have never seen such thick snow. They all say that Jinling is the best, but I have never seen Xiping. I have never seen the Northwest."
Seeing Tang Shishi was silent again, Yao Pei'er smiled as usual: "Isn't it scary to see me like this? I am lonely in this palace and I can only talk to a shadow."
After Yao Pei'er finished speaking, she added gently: "I am also a shadow."
Tang Shishi was rather embarrassed to see Yao Pei'er look like this. There is no sunshine in the and the cold almost gets into the bones of people. Tang Shishi gathered her clothes and said to Yao Pei'er: "Empress, it's cold here, you should leave quickly. The princess and the empress dowager are in Cining Palace and have asked for you several times."
Yao Pei'er lowered her head and said in a low voice: "I know. I'm leaving, so go by yourself."
Tang Shishi stepped back and let Yao Peier leave: "This Princess sends back the Empress."
Yao Pei'er left. She was obviously the Empress, but she was as silent as a shadow. After Tang Shishi sent away Yao Pei'er, she felt that the pavilion was desolate, and soon returned to the main hall where the banquet was held.
As soon as Tang Shishi entered the door, many eyes fell on her immediately. Some ladies have not met Tang Shishi yet, and asked: "This is..."
This woman with black hair, white skin and a slim figure, was surprisingly beautiful. If she is the Madame of a family, she would never not be known in Jinling with her appearance; but if she is not a madame, how can she attend the palace banquet on New Year's Eve?
A madame was well-informed and quietly told the people around her: "Didn't Prince Jing return to Jinling a few days ago. This person is Prince Jing's princess."
Everyone suddenly realized that it was Princess Jing. No wonder they hadn't seen her before. As soon as Tang Shishi stood still, someone came up to greet her: "Princess Jing, this madame greets you."
Tang Shishi smiled and asked, "May I ask who this Madam is..."
"This one's surname is Chang, and her husband is the general secretary."
Tang Shishi realized that she was the wife of the general secretary, Tang Shishi smiled and greeted: "It turned out to be Madame Wei. I just came here and don't know the people in Jinling, so please forgive me."
"The princess has just arrived, so naturally she can't recognize people." Madame Wei asked, "How did the journey from Xiping mansion go? Was everything well?"
"Everything went well." Tang Shishi nodded lightly, "Thanks to Madame Wei for her concern."
Another lady who looked like an official's wife next to Madame Wei said: "There is Prince Jing who is escorting the princess on the road. What can you worry about? I heard that Prince Jing really cares for the princess. He even sent out soldiers just to clear the way for the princess."
"This is nothing."Tang Shishi retorted, "It is because I brought my child. The prince feels distressed especially since he is still young, and he fears accidents will happen on the road.
Madame Wei was surprised, and asked: "The princess looks so young, do you have children?"
"Yes." Tang Shishi said with a smile, "It's been ten months."
Upon hearing this, several wives taught Tang Shishi the secret recipe for having children. They saw that Tang Shishi was slender and skinny, but she was already the mother of a child, and they were all envious and jealous. Prince Jing has been away from the palace for twelve years, and the legend of the four princes in Jinling has gradually faded away. What everyone can remember is the name of the decisive Prince Jing from the Northwest. What everyone also knows is that Prince Jing has made countless contributions over the years, using his own power to contain the three foreign enemies of Tatar, Beiting, and Chahatai. The Northwest has formed an army of 300,000 people.
The garrison of the capital is also 300,000. However, Jinling has been in peace for a long time, and the three major battalions are full of gangsters and children. They can't even fight ruffians. How can they fight the Northwest Army? The Northwest Army has been trained on the battlefield.
Such a famous vassal prince actually married a beautiful princess. They heard that the princess was sent by the Empress Dowager, and it seems that a hero is really attracted to a beauty, and Prince Jing is no exception. (T/N: Im so tired of people objectifying Tang Shishi because she's beautiful."
After this, more and more people came to greet Tang Shishi. Tang Shishi just finished talking to a group of people, and was stopped by a new group of people. Gradually, all the wives and ladies of Jinling knew that Prince Jing had married an extremely beautiful princess who had given birth to children and was quite favored.
Time gradually passed, a quarter of an hour passed by the auspicious time for the banquet, and Empress Dowager Yao, Princess Nanyang and the Empress were late. The banquet only started when Empress Dowager Yao sat on the honorable seat.
The current emperor is young and has no heirs. The former Emperor Xiaozong was frail and sick, and died young, leaving no other children except the emperor. Therefore, apart from Tang Shishi, there were no other princesses present. Moreover, Zhao Chengjun is the emperor's uncle, and Tang Shishi is of the same generation as Princess Nanyang.
It stands to reason that the she is a little higher than Princess Nanyang, but how could Tang Shishi do such a stupid thing, preempting Princess Nanyang. As soon as she took the seat, Tang Shishi tried to be respectful to Princess Nanyang as much as possible.
After all, Princess Nanyang is Zhao Chengjun's older sister, and it is not too much to say that she is also in charge. Empress Dowager Yao and Yao Peier sat at the top, Princess Nanyang sat ar the first seat, and Tang Shishi sat in the second seat.
Although the seat was one place behind Princess Nanyang, it didn't affect Tang Shishi at all.
Everyone looked at the glamorous and glorious Princess Jing under the light, and they were not surprised why Prince Jing would bend his waist under this skirt. These women had their hearts shaken, let alone men?
After all, Tang Shishi is beautiful, and they can understand why she is favored by Prince Jing, but during the banquet, Empress Dowager Yao made it clear that she also favored Tang Shishi, which made all the ladies stunned.
Not long after the banquet started, Empress Dowager Yao took the initiative to pour a glass of wine and raise her glass for Tang Shishi. Tang Shishi noticed, and she quickly picked up her wine as well.
The Empress Dowager seemed to be full of emotions and sighed: "So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. These years, Prince Jing has been stationed in the northwest to share worries for the emperor. This cup, I offer to Prince Jing and Princess Jing."
Tang Shishi quickly said: "The words of the empress dowager are endearing to this princess, but the prince is dedicated to serving the country. We can't receive this honor." (T/N: It's literally a wine cup 🥲)
Empress Dowager Yao smiled and said: "Prince Jing has the country in his heart, and you are serving him well. Feng Momo, get my buddhist beads and give it to the Princess."
Feng Momo hesitated: "Your Highness, that string of beads was blessed by the Huguo Temple to bless you. It has never left your body for more than ten years, I'm afraid..."
"Get it," said Empress Dowager Yao faintly, "I'm already an old woman, so what blessings are there to accumulate. It's better to give it to her who is young and has a child so they can be protected for a hundred years."
Feng Momo didn't say anything any more, and she bowed and said, "Nubi obeys your orders."
Everyone in the hall stopped unconsciously and watched the above scene quietly. Feng Momo quickly fetched the prayer beads and stopped at Empress Dowager Yao's side. Empress Dowager Yao waved her hand and said, "Give it to Princess Jing. These buddhist beads that have been with me for many years, i'll give it to her for the protection of her child."
Feng Momo respectfully took the Buddha beads to Tang Shishi's side. Tang Shishi was surprised and hurriedly said: "This is a personal thing of the empress dowager, how dare this princess..."
"Princess Jing, there is no need to refuse." The Empress Dowager, sitting at rhe head, said lightly, "It is Aijia's intention to give it to you. There is no need to refuse it."
Speaking like this, Tang Shishi no longer knew what will happen if she refuses. Tang Shishi got up and solemnly bowed to Empress Dowager Yao: "This Princess thanks the Empress Dowager."
Empeess Dowager Yao smiled and said: "Everything in the palace is peaceful, but there are only few children. When the weather warms up, Princess Jing should bring the little junwang into the palace. Aijia is old, she likes to see young people and children. "
Tang Shishi bowed: "This Princess obeys orders."
Tang Shishi stood up straight, picked up the Buddhist beads from the plate, turned around and asked the maid to hold it. The maids didn't dare to be careless, so they wrapped it in paper and put it next to them.
Regardless of whether the Empress Dowager Yao's words are true or false, she rewarded the son of Tang Shishi in front of everyone, which is to give Prince Jing and Tang Shishi decent. The ladies at the banquet watched, envious and sighed.
The things in the palace are rewards no matter what, but these rewards are different from regular rewards. The closer you get to an upper person, the more favored you are. The emperor gives his unfinished matters to his ministers, which is regarded as a good word for the monarch and his ministers to have one heart. Empress Dowager Yao gave the Buddha beads that she had worn for more than ten years to the son of Tang Shishi.
Everyone looked at each other, feeling that Tang Shishi was unfathomable. She captured Prince Jing, not to mention, even Empress Dowager Yao had added her to her allies. As much as the women admired Tang Shishi, they were also envious and jealous of her good fortune.